LIVERPOOL'S next Lord Mayor last night pledged to stay in public

office despite revelations that she was once a prostitute.

Petrona Lashley, 53, who is currently Deputy Lord Mayor, said she was

determined disclosures about her convictions for prostitution and

deception would not affect her aim to take on the city's top civic job

next year.

''I am surprised that so much attention has been paid to spent

convictions, the majority of which happened 20 years ago,'' the Labour

councillor said in a statement last night.

''But I am determined that publicity of this nature will not affect my

public duties. Since I was elected to the city council in 1991 I have

put all my efforts into representing the community which elected me, and

I will continue to do so.''

The Liverpool Echo reported yesterday that Councillor Lashley, who

represents the Granby ward in Toxteth, had convictions dating back to

1973 for common prostitution and also for obtaining property by

deception.

Coucillor Lashley was elected as a Labour member in 1991 and is deputy

chairwoman of Liverpool's social services committee. She works as an

equality officer at the city's Oxford Street maternity hospital.

The Liverpool Echo reported she had three convictions for

prostitution: in January 1973 she was fined #5 by Liverpool magistrates;

in September 1978 she was again fined #5 and ordered to pay #4 costs;

and in November 1978 she was fined #10 and ordered to pay #4 costs.

In 1990 at Liverpool Crown Court she was fined #500 and ordered to pay

#150 costs after being accused of conspiracy to obtain property by

deception, the newspaper said.

It claimed that Councillor Lashley admitted she had been in court on a

charge of running a brothel in 1974 but said that charge had been

dismissed.

Her solicitor Philip Canter today confirmed to a local radio station

that she had one conviction in the early 1970s for ''common prostitution

loitering'' and for a petty case of obtaining property by deception.

Council colleagues rallied to support Cllr Lashley.

Liverpool's Labour council leader Harry Rimmer said she had carried

out her duties as Deputy Lord Mayor ''in exemplary fashion'' since being

elected by a unanimous council vote.

''As a member of the black community, Petrona encounters almost daily

experience of how unkind and prejudiced some people can be and she, at

all times, exhibits a competence and dignity in dealing with people from

all walks of life, which in my view render her a first class choice as

Lord Mayor.''